Rep. Derek Tran Celebrates Passage of Key Legislation to Cut Red Tape for Small Businesses
Washington, DC – Rep. Derek Tran (D-CA) celebrated the passage of his bipartisan bill, the Plain Language in Contracting Act, in the House of Representatives. H.R. 787, introduced alongside Reps. Nick LaLota (R-NY) and Shri Thanedar (D-MI), would require federal contracting opportunities to be written in plain language, making it easier for small businesses to access and secure government contracts.
“I grew up working in my family’s small business, and now I own one with my wife. I know firsthand how small businesses drive our economy and support working people,” said Congressman Derek Tran (CA-45). “The Plain Language in Contracting Act expands critical opportunities for small business owners, especially Veterans and immigrant entrepreneurs, by requiring contract solicitations for small businesses to be written in clear and concise language, free from complex government jargon. I’m proud that this bipartisan effort has earned overwhelming support in the House to empower local businesses, support our economy, and ensure that every entrepreneur has the opportunity to succeed.”
“Today, the House passed my bipartisan Plain Language in Contracting Act to make it easier for small businesses to compete for federal contracts. Small business owners shouldn’t need a law degree to do business with their own government,” said LaLota (NY-01). “This commonsense bill cuts red tape, opens doors, and passed with strong support from both parties—now it’s time for the Senate to act.”
“When I started my business, I didn’t have a team of lawyers or consultants. I had to figure things out myself,” said Rep. Thanedar (MI-13). “Too many small business owners are shut out of federal contracts simply because the system is built for insiders. The Plain Language in Contracting Act will help fix that by replacing bureaucratic language with plain, straightforward terms. I helped lead this effort last Congress, and I’m proud to work once again with Reps. LaLota and Tran to make government work better for Main Street.”
View the full text of the bill HERE.
Background:
The Plain Language in Contracting Act ensures that federal contracting notices for small businesses are clear and accessible. Specifically, the bill requires all federal notices related to small business concerns to be written in plain language that is clear, concise, and accessible. It also specifies that notices must be written in a manner that small businesses can easily understand the intent. Additionally, such notices must include relevant keywords to help small businesses easily identify and understand contracting opportunities through the federal government’s online portal.
Small businesses generally do not have access to the teams of lawyers and specialists that large companies employ when seeking federal contracts. The number of small businesses awarded government contracts continues to decrease, and the burdensome contracting process discourages many successful small businesses from even bidding. The smaller number of small businesses participating in contracting is, in part, exacerbated by the extremely difficult-to-understand language in government contract solicitations. While existing contractors have been forced to adapt to this language, the barrier it creates significantly harms small businesses considering competing for a government contract for the first time.
Congressman Derek Tran represents California’s 45th Congressional District. Serving his first term in Congress, Congressman Tran is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Small Business Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee. Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a Veteran, and fought for consumers as an attorney before entering Congress.